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How to: Use ToolStripPanels for MDI

The ToolStripPanel provides flexibility for multiple-document interface (MDI) applications by using the Join method.

Example

The following code example demonstrates how to use ToolStripPanel controls for MDI.

' This code example demonstrates how to use ToolStripPanel
' controls with a multiple document interface (MDI).
Public Class Form1
   Inherits Form
   
   Public Sub New()
      ' Make the Form an MDI parent.
      Me.IsMdiContainer = True
      
      ' Create ToolStripPanel controls.
      Dim tspTop As New ToolStripPanel()
      Dim tspBottom As New ToolStripPanel()
      Dim tspLeft As New ToolStripPanel()
      Dim tspRight As New ToolStripPanel()
      
      ' Dock the ToolStripPanel controls to the edges of the form.
      tspTop.Dock = DockStyle.Top
      tspBottom.Dock = DockStyle.Bottom
      tspLeft.Dock = DockStyle.Left
      tspRight.Dock = DockStyle.Right
      
      ' Create ToolStrip controls to move among the 
      ' ToolStripPanel controls.
      ' Create the "Top" ToolStrip control and add
      ' to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
      Dim tsTop As New ToolStrip()
      tsTop.Items.Add("Top")
      tspTop.Join(tsTop)
      
      ' Create the "Bottom" ToolStrip control and add
      ' to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
      Dim tsBottom As New ToolStrip()
      tsBottom.Items.Add("Bottom")
      tspBottom.Join(tsBottom)
      
      ' Create the "Right" ToolStrip control and add
      ' to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
      Dim tsRight As New ToolStrip()
      tsRight.Items.Add("Right")
      tspRight.Join(tsRight)
      
      ' Create the "Left" ToolStrip control and add
      ' to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
      Dim tsLeft As New ToolStrip()
      tsLeft.Items.Add("Left")
      tspLeft.Join(tsLeft)

      ' Create a MenuStrip control with a new window.
      Dim ms As New MenuStrip()
      Dim windowMenu As New ToolStripMenuItem("Window")
      Dim windowNewMenu As New ToolStripMenuItem("New", Nothing, New EventHandler(AddressOf windowNewMenu_Click))
      windowMenu.DropDownItems.Add(windowNewMenu)
      CType(windowMenu.DropDown, ToolStripDropDownMenu).ShowImageMargin = False
      CType(windowMenu.DropDown, ToolStripDropDownMenu).ShowCheckMargin = True
      
      ' Assign the ToolStripMenuItem that displays 
      ' the list of child forms.
      ms.MdiWindowListItem = windowMenu
      
      ' Add the window ToolStripMenuItem to the MenuStrip.
      ms.Items.Add(windowMenu)
      
      ' Dock the MenuStrip to the top of the form.
      ms.Dock = DockStyle.Top
      
      ' The Form.MainMenuStrip property determines the merge target.
      Me.MainMenuStrip = ms
      
      ' Add the ToolStripPanels to the form in reverse order.
      Me.Controls.Add(tspRight)
      Me.Controls.Add(tspLeft)
      Me.Controls.Add(tspBottom)
      Me.Controls.Add(tspTop)
      
      ' Add the MenuStrip last.
      ' This is important for correct placement in the z-order.
      Me.Controls.Add(ms)
    End Sub
   
   ' This event handler is invoked when 
   ' the "New" ToolStripMenuItem is clicked.
   ' It creates a new Form and sets its MdiParent 
   ' property to the main form.
    Private Sub windowNewMenu_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
        Dim f As New Form()
        f.MdiParent = Me
        f.Text = "Form - " + Me.MdiChildren.Length.ToString()
        f.Show()
    End Sub
End Class
// This code example demonstrates how to use ToolStripPanel
// controls with a multiple document interface (MDI).
public class Form1 : Form
{
    public Form1()
    {
        // Make the Form an MDI parent.
        this.IsMdiContainer = true;

        // Create ToolStripPanel controls.
        ToolStripPanel tspTop = new ToolStripPanel();
        ToolStripPanel tspBottom = new ToolStripPanel();
        ToolStripPanel tspLeft = new ToolStripPanel();
        ToolStripPanel tspRight = new ToolStripPanel();

        // Dock the ToolStripPanel controls to the edges of the form.
        tspTop.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
        tspBottom.Dock = DockStyle.Bottom;
        tspLeft.Dock = DockStyle.Left;
        tspRight.Dock = DockStyle.Right;

        // Create ToolStrip controls to move among the 
        // ToolStripPanel controls.

        // Create the "Top" ToolStrip control and add
        // to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
        ToolStrip tsTop = new ToolStrip();
        tsTop.Items.Add("Top");
        tspTop.Join(tsTop);

        // Create the "Bottom" ToolStrip control and add
        // to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
        ToolStrip tsBottom = new ToolStrip();
        tsBottom.Items.Add("Bottom");
        tspBottom.Join(tsBottom);

        // Create the "Right" ToolStrip control and add
        // to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
        ToolStrip tsRight = new ToolStrip();
        tsRight.Items.Add("Right");
        tspRight.Join(tsRight);

        // Create the "Left" ToolStrip control and add
        // to the corresponding ToolStripPanel.
        ToolStrip tsLeft = new ToolStrip();
        tsLeft.Items.Add("Left");
        tspLeft.Join(tsLeft);

        // Create a MenuStrip control with a new window.
        MenuStrip ms = new MenuStrip();
        ToolStripMenuItem windowMenu = new ToolStripMenuItem("Window");
        ToolStripMenuItem windowNewMenu = new ToolStripMenuItem("New", null, new EventHandler(windowNewMenu_Click));
        windowMenu.DropDownItems.Add(windowNewMenu);
        ((ToolStripDropDownMenu)(windowMenu.DropDown)).ShowImageMargin = false;
        ((ToolStripDropDownMenu)(windowMenu.DropDown)).ShowCheckMargin = true;

        // Assign the ToolStripMenuItem that displays 
        // the list of child forms.
        ms.MdiWindowListItem = windowMenu;

        // Add the window ToolStripMenuItem to the MenuStrip.
        ms.Items.Add(windowMenu);

        // Dock the MenuStrip to the top of the form.
        ms.Dock = DockStyle.Top;

        // The Form.MainMenuStrip property determines the merge target.
        this.MainMenuStrip = ms;

        // Add the ToolStripPanels to the form in reverse order.
        this.Controls.Add(tspRight);
        this.Controls.Add(tspLeft);
        this.Controls.Add(tspBottom);
        this.Controls.Add(tspTop);

        // Add the MenuStrip last.
        // This is important for correct placement in the z-order.
        this.Controls.Add(ms);
    }

    // This event handler is invoked when 
    // the "New" ToolStripMenuItem is clicked.
    // It creates a new Form and sets its MdiParent 
    // property to the main form.
    void windowNewMenu_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        Form f = new Form();
        f.MdiParent = this;
        f.Text = "Form - " + this.MdiChildren.Length.ToString();
        f.Show();
    }
}

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

  • References to the System.Design, System.Drawing, and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.

For information about building this example from the command line for Visual Basic or Visual C#, see Building from the Command Line (Visual Basic) or Command-Line Building. You can also build this example in Visual Studio by pasting the code into a new project. How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio

See Also

Tasks

How to: Join ToolStripPanels

Reference

ToolStripPanel